Philippines May Take Over ABS-CBN’s Radio Frequency for Distance Learning

Days after Congress voted to keep the Philippines’ largest broadcaster off the air, in a move seen as a major blow to press freedom here, the government said it may take over the network’s radio frequency for distance-learning programing.

ABS-CBN Corp., whose radio and television channels reached millions of Filipinos and provided them with critical news coverage, including reporting that had angered President Rodrigo Duterte, on July 10 lost a bid to have its broadcasting license renewed. A committee of the House of Representatives, which is controlled by allies of the president, voted overwhelmingly then to reject a new 25-year franchise for the network.

Taking over ABS-CBN’s radio frequency as a distance-learning platform would be subject to approval by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Thursday, shortly after ABS-CBN announced that it would let go of many of its 11,000 employees by the end of August.

“Well of course, any frequency can be used for distance learning. So, it’s up to the NTC. If the NTC says so, we will respect that because it is a quasi-judicial body,” Roque said.

The commission was the same telecoms regulatory body that ordered ABS-CBN to go off the air a day after its license expired on May 4.

Earlier this week, House Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte filed a resolution recommending “the temporary use of by the government of ABS-CBN’s former television and radio frequencies for distance learning, instruction, training and other useful purposes to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on education in the Philippines.”

He said information dissemination could help control the spread of coronavirus, which, as of Thursday, had killed 1,643 Filipinos, 29 more than the previous day. The government also confirmed 2,498 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 61,626.

Villafuerte, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, was among the 70 lawmakers who voted to not grant ABS-CBN a new franchise license for its free television and radio network.  Only 11 voted to approve the license.

The network continues to operate its cable channel and air on the Internet.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP said the move likely was meant to legitimize the government’s takeover of ABS-CBN.

“They may use the frequency, but without ABS-CBN’s equipment and network of regional stations, which could reach areas others cannot, they have nothing,” NUJP said.

Duterte: ‘ABS-CBN besmirched me’

On Wednesday night, ABS-CBN said the House decision would force it to cut back on operations involving its 11,000 employees.

The network said it was helping sidelined employees find new jobs, noting that the loss of license compounded the “uncertain and perilous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“As much as it hurts us to implement this retrenchment program, this is the only way to ensure the continued employment of the rest of our Kapamilya,” ABS-CBN said in a statement, referring to the term it uses for its employees, which means “relatives.”

“For those who are affected, we pray for you and your families, that you may have the strength and guidance to deal with the challenges ahead,” it said. “For all that you have done for ABS-CBN, thank you.”

The broadcaster is the second media entity widely viewed as being targeted by the Duterte administration because of the president’s disdain for their critical coverage.

Maria Ressa, head of the Filipino online news site Rappler which has been critical of Duterte’s drug war that has killed thousands, and a former employee, Reynaldo Santos Jr., were convicted of cyber libel last month. Both are appealing but could face lengthy sentences if their appeals fail.

They were convicted following a complaint by a businessman over a 2012 Rappler report, which alleged that he had lent a vehicle to the country’s Supreme Court chief justice.

Duterte, while visiting the southern island of Jolo on Monday, complained about his media critics and boasted that he was on the warpath against the “oligarchy” – a reference he uses to describe big families who control the wealth in the country.

Edited transcripts of his speech were released to the media, but Rappler has subsequently obtained an audio recording where Duterte could be heard commenting on ABS-CBN.

“That ABS-CBN besmirched me. But I had said that if I won, I would destroy the oligarchy in the Philippines. I did it,” he said in Filipino, according on the audio recording posted by Rappler.

Asked Thursday about the speech, Roque said he could not comment because he was not there.

Richel V. Umel and Froilan Gallardo in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, contributed to this report.